Automatic drive for sliding doors

ABSTRACT

A drive for a pair of sliding doors including a linear motor having its stator fixed relative to the frame of the doors and its armature connected to a pulley and rope assembly which is movable therewith to effect opening of the doors. Means are provided for adjusting the axis of rotation of the pulleys in three planes to adjust the tension on the rope and adjust the alignment of the pulleys.

United States Patent 11 Berk [ Mar. 25, 1975 1 1 AUTOMATIC DRIVE FOR SLIDING DOORS [75] Inventor: Kurt Berk, Hoesel, Germany [73] Assignee: Eaton Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio [22] Filed: Feb. 26, 1973 [2]] Appl. No.: 335,866

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 7, 1972 Germany 2210828 [52] US. Cl. 49/118, 49/360 [51] Int. Cl. E051 17/60, E05f 15/14 [58] Field of Search 49/360, 118-121 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1894 Hodgins ..49/360 10/1932 Jacobson ..49/118 2,905,463 9/1959 Borden 49/360 3,533,188 10/1970 Jones et a1. 49/360 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 872,118 1/1942 France 49/118 201,816 3/1939 Switzerland 49/118 Primary Examiner-J. Karl Bell Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Teagno & Toddy [57] ABSTRACT A drive for a pair of sliding doors including a linear motor having its stator fixed relative to the frame of the doors and its armature connected to a pulley and rope assembly which is movable therewith to effect opening of the do0rs. Means are provided for adjusting the axis of rotation of the pulleys in three planes to adjust the tension on the rope and adjust the alignment of the pulleys.

10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PAIENIEDM snmaggz m oE 1 AUTOMATIC DRIVE FOR SLIDING DOORS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a linear motor drive for sliding doors including a pulley and rope assembly attached to the armature of the motor for driving the doors in response to energization of the motor and more specifically, to a linear motor drive for sliding doors including a pulley and rope assembly wherein the pulleys are adjustable in three planes to control the tension on the rope and control the alignment of the various pulleys.

Known drives for sliding doors utilize rotating electric motors, hydraulic motors, and pneumatic motors to effect movement of the doors. Such drives, however, have many known deficiencies. Moreover, the pulley assemblies of many known drives utilize fixed pulleys which cannot have their axis of rotation moved. This, of course, is a problem when it comes to adjusting, the alignment of the pulleys.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to an automatic drive assembly for sliding doors in which a bar-type armature of a controllable electric motor of linear design is mounted on the frame of the sliding doors and acts in the direction of its longitudinal axis and is live-connected to a door leaf which is transversely slidable in relation to the door opening and in which a second door leaf is coupled with and movable in opposite direction to the aforementioned door leaf by means of a pulley-guided endless rope or the like.

In such drive assemblies, the electric linear motor has proved to be of'special advantage. In case of sliding doors with two counteracting door leaves, the door leaves can be driven by means ofa separate counteracting linear motor or only one of the door leafs may be driven by a linear motor and the counteracting door leaf may be driven by an endless rope. In the latter case, the counteracting door leaf has to be coupled with a strand of the rope that moves in an opposite direction to the first door leaf. The rope may be replaced by a chain or the like.

In accordance with the design of such machines, the bar-type armature of a linear motor, an asynchronous machine, moves within the stator with a slight clearance. Minimizing friction in the movement of the armature requires a relatively high degree of technical expenditure.

It is an object of subject invention to provide an automatic drive assembly for sliding doors which allows, with relatively simple technical means, contact-free forward and reverse movement of the armature to insure operation wherein wear is minimized. This requirement is met in that the armature is incorporated in one strand of the rope and the pulleys guiding the rope and/or the stator of the electric motor are adjustable.

It is another object of the subject invention that the armature is not fixedly connected to either of the two door leaves but is incorporated in the endless rope. This configuration allows a simplified and consequently cost-saving adjustment which is largely independent of the construction of the door leaves or their mounting to the building. Furthermore, the pulleys guiding the rope and/or the stator of the electric motor are adjustable.

It is an advantage that the pulleys can be aligned in relation to each other as well as transversely in relation to the rope. This allows not only adjustment ofthe rope at its tightening points but also compensation for possible stator mounting inaccuracies through adjustment at the pulley.

The pulleys are each revolvably mounted in a bracket which is connected to an adjusting plate transversely adjustable in relation to the rope. Upon tightening of the rope, the adjusting plate allows the pulley to adjust as far as possible in the direction of the rope. The connection of the pulley to the adjusting plate is effected by a ball which is movably arranged in the adjusting plate and through which is screwed a clamp bolt whose one end acts upon the bracket supporting the pulley.

The adjusting plate is supported against rope tension by means of an abutment mounted on a portion of the frame of the doors which is fixed to the building and which is adjustable by means of three setscrews which are staggered by The setscrews allows a horizontal and vertical adjustment of the pulley or bracket aligned in the direction of the rope.

To allow alignment of the pulleys in relation to each other, each bracket supporting a rope pulley is provided with a base plate having adjusting screws that act upon the adjusting plate. By means of these adjusting screws, the base plate is inclined until the bracket and thereby the pulley is in perfect alignment with the opposite pulley.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The drawings illustrate one embodiment of subject invention in which:

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The door opening 11 of the building 10 shown in FIG. 1 is covered by two door leaves 12 and 13. In order to open the door, door leaf 12 is moved to the right as indicated by arrow 14 and door leaf 13 is moved to the left as indicated by arrow 15. Movement of the door leaves 12 and 13 is effected through an electric motor 16 of linear design having a stator 17 which is mounted on a base plate 18 which is fixed to the building and an armature 19 which is incorporated in the upper strand 20 of a rope 21. Power is transmitted from the stator 17 via the rope 21 and a coupling arm 22 to the door leaf 13 and via a coupling arm 23 to door leaf 12. Door leaf 13 is coupled to the upper strand 20 of the rope 21 and door leaf 12 is coupled to the bottom strand 24 of the rope 21. The endless rope runs over two pulleys 25 and 26 which are respectively mounted to the base plate 18 by means of pulley brackets 27 and 28. The ends of rope 21 are attached to the ends of the armature 19. If the armature 19 is moved to the left in FIG. 1, the door leaves 12 and 13 move in opposite direction and clear the door opening 11.

FIG. 2 shows the suspension of the door leaf 12 which is rail-guided at its bottom by the guide rail 30.

While only the suspension for the door leaf 12 has been illustrated, it should be appreciated that the door leaf 13 is suspended in a like manner. The base plate 18 which is mounted to the building carries an angle rail 31 which supports rollers 32. The rollers 32 support the door leaf 12 for movement relative to the door opening 11. The rollers 32 are mounted on a common supporting rail 33 which, through a suspension 34, carries the door leaf rail 33 for door leaf 12. Each door leaf is suspended on its rollers 32. The supporting rail 33 is provided with a coupling arm 23 which acts upon the bottom strand 24 of the rope 21 thus allowing movement of the door leaf 12 without the latter being rigidly coupled to the electric motor 16. The electric motor 16 can be seen in FIG. 2 in the upper left corner of the base plate 18 covering most of the rope pulley with its bracket 27.

The pulley bracket shown in FIG. 3 consists of a bracket 36 mounted to the base plate 18. The free arm 50 of the bracket 36 carries an adjusting plate 37 which can be vertically and horizontally adjusted transversely in relation to the rope 21 and the armature 19. Adjustment is effected through three setscrews 38, only two of which are illustrated. The setscrews 38 are staggered by 120 around the adjusting plate 37. The setscrews 38 are screwed into the free bracket arm 50, through annular shoulder 39, to engage with the adjusting plate 37. The bracket 36 includes an opening 40 to accommodate the adjusting plate 37 and provide for movement of the adjusting plate 37 by the setscrews 38 relative to the bracket 36.

The adjusting plate 37 is attached to the bracket 28 on which the rope pulley 26 is revolvably mounted. The connection is effected through a ball 42 which is movably arranged in a recess 43 of the adjusting plate 36. A clamp bolt 44 is screwed through the ball 42 and goes through the rope-end opening 51 in the bracket 36, which conically widens towards the outer side to ensure the necessary free play of the bolt 44. On the rope-end side, the clamp bolt 44 is connected with the bracket 28 by means of rivets 52. The bracket 28 includes a base plate 45 which is connected to the adjusting plate 37 by adjusting screws 46. For adjustment of the connection between the bracket 28 and the adjusting plate 37 in relation to the opposite pulley 25, the three adjusting screws 46 are turned until perfect alignment of the two pulleys 25 and 26 is obtained. These adjusting screws 46 are directly supported by the adjusting plate 37.

From the foregoing it should be apparent that the two pulleys 25 and 26 can be raised, lowered, or moved laterally relative to the base plate 18 by adjustment of the three set-screws 38. Moreover, the alignment of the two pulleys 25 and 26 can be controlled by adjusting the adjusting screws 26 which enable the pulleys 25 and 26 to tilt relative to the adjusting plate 37 due to the ball and socket construction of the bolt 44, recess 43, and ball 42 which affixes the pulley bracket 28 to the adjusting plate 37. Furthermore, the tension on the rope 21 can be controlled by adjusting the adjusting screws 46 to move the pulley bracket 28 toward or away from the bracket 36.

1 now claim:

1. A drive for at least a pair of sliding doors comprising an electrical linear motor having a fixed stator and a movable armature, first and second pulleys mounted adjacent to the sliding door, flexible means attached to opposite ends of said armature member and extending around said first and second pulleys, said flexible means when attached to said armature and extending around said first and second pulleys having first and second portions which move in opposite directions upon energization of said linear motor, said armature when moved in a first direction upon energization of said linear motor effecting movement of said first portion of said flexible means in said first direction and effecting movement of said second portion of said flexible means in a second direction opposite said first direction, first connecting means connecting one of said sliding doors to said first portion of said flexible means, second connecting means connecting another of said sliding doors to said second portion of said flexible means to enable movement of said armature in said first direction to effect movement of said one door in said first direction and movement of said other door in said second direction to effect opening of the doors, and means for adjusting each of said first and second pulleys in three planes to control the tension on said flexible means and control the alignment of said first and second pulleys relative to each other.

2. A drive for sliding doors as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for adjusting said pulleys include a first bracket for rotatably supporting one of said pulleys, a second bracket attached to a support. an adjustable bracket supported by said second bracket and adjustable in a plane perpendicular to the movement of said armature, said first bracket being connected to said adjustable bracket and being movable relative to said adjustable bracket in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of said armature and in a direction skewed from the direction of movement of said armature.

3. A drive for sliding doors as defined in claim 2 further including a plurality of set screws interconnecting said adjustable bracket and saidsecond bracket, said set screws being adjustable to control movement of said adjustable bracket in a plate perpendicular to the direc' tion of movement of said armature.

4. A drive for sliding doors as defined in claim 3 further including ball and socket means for connecting said first bracket to said adjustable bracket and providing for movement of said first bracket relative to said adjustable bracket in a direction about the axis of rotation of said ball and socket means.

5. A drive for sliding doors as defined in claim 4 further including adjusting screws for interconnecting said first bracket and said adjustable bracket and providing for movement of said first bracket in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of said armature.

6. A drive for sliding doors comprising a drive motor having a movable output member, a pulley mounted in the vicinity of one of said sliding doors, rope means for sliding said one of said doors in response to movement of said output member of said drive motor, and alignment means for orienting said pulley with respect to said output member of said drive motor, said alignment means including individual adjustment means for establishing a particular direction of orientation between said pulley and said output member, said alignment means further including a bracket for rotatably mounting said pulley and a plate mounted to a rigidly fixed structure in the vicinity of said one of said sliding doors, said bracket being adjustable with respect to said plate by said individual adjustment means.

wherein said individual adjustment means includes a pair of adjustable screws mounted to said bracket to maintain a predetermined space between said bracket and said plate.

10. A drive for sliding doors as set forth in claim 6 wherein said drive motor includes an electrical linear motor having a fixed stator and said movable output member includes a movable armature alignable with respect to said stator by said individual adjustment means of said alignment means.

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1. A drive for at least a pair of sliding doors comprising an electrical linear motor having a fixed stator and a movable armature, first and second pulleys mounted adjacent to the sliding door, flexible means attached to opposite ends of said armature member and extending around said first and second pulleys, said flexible means when attached to said armature and extending around said first and second pulleys having first and second portions which move in opposite directions upon energization of said linear motor, said armature when moved in a first direction upon energization of said linear motor effecting movement of said first portion of said flexible means in said first direction and effecting movement of said second portion of said flexible means in a second direction opposite said first direction, first connecting means connecting one of said sliding doors to said first portion of said flexible means, second connecting means connecting another of said sliding doors to said second portion of said flexible means to enable movement of said armature in said first direction to effect movement of said one door in said first direction and movement of said other door in said second direction to effect opening of the doors, and means for adjusting each of said first and second pulleys in three planes to control the tension on said flexible means and control the alIgnment of said first and second pulleys relative to each other.
 2. A drive for sliding doors as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for adjusting said pulleys include a first bracket for rotatably supporting one of said pulleys, a second bracket attached to a support, an adjustable bracket supported by said second bracket and adjustable in a plane perpendicular to the movement of said armature, said first bracket being connected to said adjustable bracket and being movable relative to said adjustable bracket in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of said armature and in a direction skewed from the direction of movement of said armature.
 3. A drive for sliding doors as defined in claim 2 further including a plurality of set screws interconnecting said adjustable bracket and said second bracket, said set screws being adjustable to control movement of said adjustable bracket in a plate perpendicular to the direction of movement of said armature.
 4. A drive for sliding doors as defined in claim 3 further including ball and socket means for connecting said first bracket to said adjustable bracket and providing for movement of said first bracket relative to said adjustable bracket in a direction about the axis of rotation of said ball and socket means.
 5. A drive for sliding doors as defined in claim 4 further including adjusting screws for interconnecting said first bracket and said adjustable bracket and providing for movement of said first bracket in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of said armature.
 6. A drive for sliding doors comprising a drive motor having a movable output member, a pulley mounted in the vicinity of one of said sliding doors, rope means for sliding said one of said doors in response to movement of said output member of said drive motor, and alignment means for orienting said pulley with respect to said output member of said drive motor, said alignment means including individual adjustment means for establishing a particular direction of orientation between said pulley and said output member, said alignment means further including a bracket for rotatably mounting said pulley and a plate mounted to a rigidly fixed structure in the vicinity of said one of said sliding doors, said bracket being adjustable with respect to said plate by said individual adjustment means.
 7. A drive for sliding doors as set forth in claim 6 wherein said individual adjustment means includes adjustment screws mounted to said rigidly fixed structure to move said plate and said bracket in a direction substantially parallel to said rigidly fixed structure.
 8. A drive for sliding doors as set forth in claim 6 wherein said individual adjustment means includes a ball and socket connection between said bracket and said plate to allow an angular orientation of said bracket with respect to said plate.
 9. A drive for sliding doors as set forth in claim 6 wherein said individual adjustment means includes a pair of adjustable screws mounted to said bracket to maintain a predetermined space between said bracket and said plate.
 10. A drive for sliding doors as set forth in claim 6 wherein said drive motor includes an electrical linear motor having a fixed stator and said movable output member includes a movable armature alignable with respect to said stator by said individual adjustment means of said alignment means. 